Somerset Experience for Girls

Who: Girls who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling or primary caregiver. Applications accepted for girls entering grades 4-7 in the 2018-2019 school year.

A TYPICAL DAY

Each day starts off with reveille (a wake-up call), before the boys roll out of bed and head to the dining hall for the first of 3 delicious meals. After breakfast and a quick cabin clean-up, they head into a full day of activities, including activities such as basketball, ropes, archery, soccer, tennis, and more. The afternoon starts with lunch and a rest period, and then quickly transforms into a week-long series of competitive games called College League. In College League, the camp is divided into two teams named after colleges, and the campers compete in activities ranging from relay races to a scavenger hunt.

One period a day is dedicated to a bereavement activity. Discussion is peer-based and facilitated by a team of licensed social workers. The first full day of camp, the boys have the opportunity to share their stories in a Sharing Circle with their bunk. It is the first opportunity they have to open up and truly understand that they are amongst other boys who “get it”. The remaining days of the week involve various memory projects and bereavement activities designed to provide the campers with tools to communicate and understand their feelings.

Each night ends with an evening activity, and many nights with a campfire and s’mores. Everyone sleeps well after a long and hard day at play.

COMMUNITY

Campers live in cabins of 8-12 kids of the same age. Each cabin has 3 counselor that sleep in the cabin and supervise them during rest periods and in between activities. Campers choose their elective activity periods in the morning and reunite for one period for a bereavement activity.

The whole camp comes together for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the dining hall, and tables are mixed to allow campers to get to know other campers outside their bunks. In the afternoons, campers meet with their College League teams, which are also mixed ages. At the end of the day, everyone comes together again for evening activity.

OTHER DETAILS

The camp is 100% free, including transportation from one of our designated pick-up locations.

All campers are required to take a bus to camp. Buses will be available from Newton, MA, Brunswick, ME, Augusta, ME, and Portsmouth, NH.

We have nurses on staff and medical centers within a 20-minute drive from camp.

There are toilets, sinks, showers, and electricity in the cabins.

Forms, packing lists, and other details will be sent after a camper has been enrolled.